Automatic signal device.



G. E. B L|N N. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL DEVICE.

AI'PL |CATION FILED SEPT. 6,1913. 1,175,405.

I a, im wmor W 0mm;

vPatented Mar. 14, 1916.

2-SHEETS-SHEET I.

G." E. BLINN.

I AUTOMATIC SIGNAL DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. e. 1913.

Patented Mar. 14,1916.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT GLENN E. BLINN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOB F ONE-HALF T0 "GRGVE 1P. MITCHELL, JR.,0F PHILADELPHIA,?ENNSYLVANIA.

. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1 1, 1916.

Application filedseptember 6, 1913. Serial No. 788,431.

- persons in the building who might be wanted at the oiiice, and has forits object not only to enlarge the work to be performed by such a deviceby applying it as a signal to employees to start and stop work and tolocate the point at which a fire is burning in the building and give thenecessary alarm,

- but also to produce a more perfect and accurate machine for suchpurposes. I accomplish'thes'e ObjGCtS by means of the instrumentpresently described and particularly shown inthe accompanying drawingsforming part hereof, and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ma; chine, showing particularlythe kick-0H coils and cam arrangement for tripping the hold ing-plate.Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of the other end ofthe machine showing the means for operating the shaft carrying thedisks; and the magnetic coils and their connection with the disks forsounding a fire alarm. Fig. 4 is a diagram of the electric circuit thatoperates the machine and sounds the signals. Fig. 5

. is a plan view of my machine. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the back plateof the keyboard. Fig. 7 a view of the end piece of said keyboardcarrying the pivoted lever which is operated upon by the armature of thekickoff coils and which trips the holding plate, Fig. 8 being a sideview of the same. Fig. 9 a view of the opposite end of said boardsupporting armature and a contactspring. Fig. 10 an edge view thereof.Fig. 11 is a view of a key or plunger in operative position in contactwith a disk, and showing the contact plate in operative position withthe contact-spring, thus closing the circuit and putting the machine inoperation. Fig. 12 is a view of such key or plunger in inoperafiveposition, the contact-plate out of operative position with the spring,thus breaking the circuit and bringing the machine to rest. Fig. 13 is afront elevation of the key-holding plate; and Fig. 1e an end view of thesame. Fig. 15 is a' front elevation of the contact-plate; and Fig. 16 anend view carrying pins; and Fig. 18 an edge view of the same. Fig. 19 isa side elevation of the sprocket-wheel forming one of the elements inthe automatic cut-out; and Fig. 20 an edge view thereof. 7

S milar letters and numerals of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

My invention consists, in the first place, of a frame which ispreferably made up of foundation 1, supports 2 and 8 connected atthereof. Fig. 17 is a side elevation of a disk ports 2' and 3 is a shaft7 which is electri cally operated by a motor A through a worm-wheel B onmotor shaft C intermeshing with sprocket-wheel D on perpendicular shaftE jour-naled in bearings E and E attached to the support; said shaft Ecarrying at its upper end a worm-wheel F which intermeshes withsprocket-wheel G carried by said shaft 7. "Upon shaft 7 areremovably-secured one or more disks 8, the same being adapted to be slidupon said shaft which enters a central opening 9 in the disks and whichare then located upon and afiixed to the shaftby means of a screw 9-}passing through the collar 9% encircling said opening and pressing uponthe shaft; this arrangement permitting of the removal of the disks fromthe shaft, or placed upon the same at will; the object being to increaseor diminish the number of disks in accordance with the number ofindividuals to be located; or the number of fire alarm stations desired.With reference to the locating individuals, the periphery ofthese disksis provided, at regular intervals, with pinholes 10 adapted to receiveand retain pins 11. These holes and pins are so constructed that thelatter can be easily inserted and extracted from the former,notwithstanding the fact that said pins are suiiiciently embedded in theholes as not to fall out or become loosened except by force beingapplied to them. The removability of the pins permits the changing-ofnumbers designating the individuals to be called or located withoutremoving the disk from the shaft.

. from the brackets upon which it rests by;

It will be obvious that instead .of separate disks secured to a shaft, Ican use a cylinder H (Fig-6) and likewise'arrange holes on its surfacefor the reception of pins, without departing from the spirit of my1nvention. I denominate'these holes and pins peripheral. pinsand holesto distinguish them from the rim holes and pins hereafter described.

My improved key or plunger-frame con sists of front and back plates 12and 13 provided with one or more holes 14 registering with the disks 8;and end pieces 15': and 16 so formed that the key-board can be slid on iand off the bra'c'l ets 5 and 6 of the supports 2 and 3, the saidkey-board resting between and being supported by said brackets as' shownin Figs. 2 and-5'; that is, the said end pieces are provided on theirouter faces, at the top and bottom, with grooves 15' and 16 formingbetween them flange l5 'and 16 The board or frame is thoroughlyinsulated suitable insulating material m which is secured by suitablemeans to said brackets upon their inner faces and so formed as to permitthe board to be easily slid into position, the body of the insulatingmaterial filling the grooves 15 and 16 of the said end-pieces andextending up and downbetween the beads 15-and 16, respectively,

and the brackets 5 and 6, thus forming a bearing at its top for the saidboard to rest upon, as shown particularly in Fig. 1. Of

course any other suitable construction whereby the board is effectuallyinsulated from the brackets will be within the scope of my invention asI do not confine myself to the construction shown and described. Also,while this key-board is preferably constructed so that it can be removedfrom the machine, it is obvious that it can be permanently fixed in thesame without in the least holes 14 with the pin 18 adjacent the disks 8,the bevelf18 up and so that when the keys are in operative position, thepins 11 carried by the disks will strike said contact 18 as the disksrevolve, the contact, being pivoted, giving way and allowing thedisk-pins to pass; which pinsjas they strike the contact 18, close thecircuit and cause the signal to be noted at all the stations in thebuilding. -A spring 19 is carried by-each plunger, one end of whichspring bears upon the'back plate 13 of the key-board, while the otherend bears against the rib 17 of the plunger itself; said springoperating normally to retain the plunger out of striking distance of thedisk-pins 11- when the plunger is not in action; or when the machine isinactive. These are designated station keys.

Extending the length of the key board and pivoted therein,'is what Iterm the holding-plate 20 provided with flange-21 on'its upper edge; thefunction of this plate is to hold the plunger or key in operation withinstriking distance of the disk-pin '11' by means of the flange 21 whichdrops behind and bears against the conical rib 17 of the plunger, theplate 20 rising as the plungeris pushed forward allowing said rib topass under and stopping just in front of the flange 21 and preventingthe key from mov-' ing backward. Likewise pivoted within said lun ers orke s key-board is another plate which I will calli the contact-plate 22,which is pivoted at its bottom edge and retained in a perpendicular andinoperative position by a spring 23; this plate carries at one end acontact-pin 24: which is adapted, when the upper free edge of the plate22 is pushed forward by the conical-rib 17 of the plunger, to contactwith a spring-contact 25 secured in the'end piece 16 of the key-board,whichcontact 25, being electrically connected, closes the circuit andputs the motor A in operation and through it, the shaft carrying thedisks. In Fig. 11 is shown the position of the plunger and of the plates20 and 22 when the machine is in operation. And in Fig. 12

they are shown in inoperative position and the machine at rest.

The above description, as will be observed, delineates the structure ofthe machine and its operation up to its being put in motion. That, is,we will say, the machine being ele'ctrically connected by a serieslofwires to gongs (not shown) or other sounding apparatus located-atdifferent points in a building, and the pins '11 on the disks 8 being soarranged as to transmit the number 32 throughout said building, theplunger opposite the disk carrying this number, and the person Wantedhaving been designated 32, said plunger is pushed forward into strikingdistance of said pins 11 and held there by plate 20; at the same instantthe top of contact-plate 22 is moved forward by said plunger causing thepin 24 to engage the contact-spring 25, thereby closing the circuitthrough the key-wire 102-103 to battery 100 and motor A; thence, throughwire 104101 to thekey 17; the motor A being thus electrified, the shaft7 is actuated through the worm-wheel B on shaft 0 intermeshing with.sprocket wheel D on perpendicular shaft E, worm-wheel F intermeshingwith sprocket-wheel G carried by said shaft 7,, thereby bringing thedisk into operation, the pins 11 on which, striking the pivoted pin 18of the plunger 17 in operation, the number 32 is sounded throughout thebuilding through wire 113 and signalbell 109, the contact between thepins and the pin 18 of the key 17 closing the circuit through wire102103 to battery 100, through wire 103 to the bell 109 and to diskthrough wire 113 and the person so numbered repairs to the nearesttelephone and answers the call. (See Fig. 4.)

I will now proceed to describe the meth ods of stopping the machineafter the person called has responded thereto. These are three innumber, to wit, at the station or machine by means of the major key; atthe telephone to which the person called goes to answer the signal bymeans of a push-button located there (not shown) which is electricallyconnected with the kick-off coils of the machine; and automatically bymechanism attached to the machine and which can be set to stop themachine after the signal has been sounded a determined number of times.In each case the holding-plate 20 is lifted and the plunger in operationreleased, its spring 19 instantly driving the plunger back out ofoperative contact with the pins on the disk, the contact-plate 22 being,at the same time, pulled byits spring 23 from contact with the spring25, breaking the circuits and causing the machine to stop. First, themajor key 26 is slidably mounted in the key-board 12 and, as it ispushed forward, operates to raise the plate 20 as the rib on said keymoves under the flange 21 thereof. This rib does not go beyond saidflange as the key 26 is 50 arranged that it can be pushed forward onlyfar enough to permit its rib to pass beneath the flange 21 so as toraise the plate 20 and allow the station-key it is holding to escape;the spring on the key 26 causing it to instantly return to itsinoperative and out-ofthe-way position. This, together with the factthat plate 22 is always in its operative or forward position (as shownin Fig. 12)

when it is necessary to use the key 26', avoids any interference betweenthe key 26 and said plate 22. Vhile the rib on the key will contact withand push forward said plate, it will do so only when the latter is outof action and there can be no result from such contact not 'only becausethe key 26 can not hold the plate 22 in such forward position owing toits inability to advance beyond the plate 20, but because there canpossibly be no connection between; said key and the disks on the shaft.-'As described, the only function of this key 26 is to lift the plate20, and it can have none other. Secondly, the push-button 105 at thetelephone is-electrically connected with the kick-off coils 27 throughwire 106 to wire 107108 to battery 100, wire 112114: to button 105;these coils are provided with armature carrying arm 28 which is adapted,when the button 105 is pushed closing the circuit, to spring forward andstrike the lever 29 pivoted on end-piece 15; which lever, swingingforward at its lower and free end, causes its arm 30 to rise sharplystriking the holding plate 20, lifting it, thereby releasing the stationkey in operation, as before stated. The third'and last way of trippingthe holdingplate 20 is automatic and is accomplished by means ofmechanism consisting of a cam 31 secured to one end of shaft 7, thepoint of which cam, upon the revolution of said shaft, engagescam-wheel32 mounted on support 3 adjacent said cam. The face of thiswheel is providedwith pin-holes 33 at regular intervals apart, intowhich holes one or more pins 34: are inserted, the inner ends of whichextend beyond the face of the wheel (see Fig. 20) and which ends areadapted. when the wheel 32 is revolved by V the cam 31, to strike thepivoted arm 35 of lever 36, tripping it, which, in turn strikes the arm28 of the lever 29, tripping it-also; which, as in th'eother two cases,strikes up the plate 20 and releases the plunger in operation. Theseries of holes and the pins allow of determining the number of timesthe signal is'to be sounded before tripping the levers and breaking thecircuits. In order to hold the cam-wheel 32 taut and firm,-I pivot tothe support 3 one end of a dog 10; sustaining the free end of said dogin contact with the wheel by a spring AH, and providing the dog atitssaidfree end with an arm 42, which is adapted to rest in the groovesbetween the teeth with which the periphery of the wheel 32 is provided,as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

To permit the machine to be used to sound an alarm of fire and locatethe same, 1 arrange on the rim of disks 8, pins 37 andadjacent eachdisk, on the opposite side of the machine from the key-board, 1 placemag? netic coils or relays 38 provided witha tripcontact 39 carrying aspring 45 adapted,

when the circuit is closed, to contact with the pins 37 on the'disks asthe same revolve. There is a relay or coil for each fire-alarm stationNo. 1 station being mounted directly back of No. 1 disk in the machine;No.2 station relay back of No. 2 disk;'and so on. On each floor of abuilding, or in each department, there is a break-glass firealarm box110, electrically connected with its respective relay and disk. Should afire start, some one on the particular floor, or in the particulardepartment, breaks the glass in the said box 110 which throws thespringcontacts therein into contact with each other thereby closing theelectric circuit between the bOXllO and the coils or relay 38 for that55 is broken.

station; the relay thus becoming energized, its trip-contact 39 ispulled to the pole-piece of the relay bringing the spring 45 intocontact with the pins on the disk which, at the same instant, starts torevolve. by reason of the electric current being thrown tothe motor Aaswell as to the bells throughout the buildinggiving every one thereinprompt and efficient warning. At first the signal is 0 given by singlestrokes inrapid succession;

then the bells are quiet for a second or two, then strike one, two,three times, as the case might be, to indicate the floor or department;the signal then continues at intermittent though constant impulses asthe spring 40 contacts with the pins 37 on the rapidly revolving'd'isks,and will not cease until the fire-alarm box which has been broken isclosed for future'use. In case the machine is in operation when a firestarts, the breaking of the glass in the box 110 and the closing of thecircuit at coils 38, will at the same moment operate the kick-off coils27 through the two point contacts at the rear of said' coils 38, theoperation of the kick-off coils 27, as before described, throwing thestation key out of action. The complete circuits operating when. theglass inboXJllO is broken which throw out of action,'through the sokick-0E coils 27, any station-key that may be in use, and throw intooperation the firealarm system, are as follows: the kick off coilscircuit being from conductor 107 through wires 1G8-117 to batteries.100;

from here through wire 112 to contacts of coils 38; through same to wire116 then to coils 27 out of these to wire 107. The startof the motor isthrough batteries 100, wire 117 to motor A; from thence through 40 wires118115 and trip contact 39 to contacts of coils 38; through same towires 103 112 back to batteries 100. It will of course be understoodthat the method of wiring .to bring aboutthese results forms no 7 partof my invention but is entirely within the discretion of the electricianinstalling the system and in accordance with the Well known rules of thescience.

The same equipment can be used where a building has each floor wired'and heat coils distributed at various places on the ceiling, the heatfrointhe fire opening the heat-coil, and closing the electric circuit inthe same manner as when theglass in a fire alarm box building isequipped with a sprinkler system where a float valve is installed oneach floor of a building. The setting off of a sprinkler: head, eitherby a fire or by accident, starts the water flowing in the p pes, causingthefloat valve to close the electric circuit and 'start the machine andin the same manner sound the alarm through the machine, giving the flooror department location of the open sprinkler head and hence the fire.

It can also be used where a Having now described my invention,what Iclaim as new and. desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I 1. In'anautomaticsignal device, a frame; a shaftmounted therein; one or moredisks 'on saidfshaft; pins carried by said disks adapted to be removedtherefrom; a .remov-- able key-board mounted in: said frame injuxtaposition to saiddisks;;plungers in said 'board adapted to contactwith thepins on the: disks when the same are revolved; and

means for revolving said disks, substantially as shown and described. l

2. In an automatic signal device, a frame; a'shaft' mounted in saidframe; one or more disks on said shaft; pms carried by said disksadapted to be removed therefrom;

means for operating said shaft; a removable key-frame mounted in saidframe adjacent 1 said disks; plungers in said board adapted to contactwith. the pins on the disks when the same are .revolved; and means insaid boardforholding said plungers in contact' with said pins.

in contact with said pins; means in said board for holding saidplungersin contact with said pins; and means carried by said plungers forthrowing them out of such contact when said plungers are released,substantially as'shown and described.

4. In an automatic signal device, a frame; a shaft mounted in saidframe; means for operating said shaft; one or more disks carried by saidshaft; removable pins on said disks; a removable key-board mounted insaid frame adjacent said disks; plungers mounted inisaid board adaptedto be moved in contact with said pins; vmeans in said board for holdingsaid plungers in such contact; means carried by said plungers for'throwinggthem out of such contact when said plungers are released; andmeans for releasing said plungers, substantially as shown and described.

5. .In an automatic signal device, a frame;

a shaft mounted in said frame; means for operating sald shaft; one ormore disks carried by said shaft; removable pins onsaid disks; aremovable key-board mounted in said frame adjacent-said disks; plungersmounted in said board provided at their inner ends with a pivoted pointadapted to contact with said pins and so arranged as to permit of thedisks revolving in one direction and preventing them from revolving inthe opposite direction, substantially as shown .and described.

6. An automatic signal device consisting of a frame, a shaft mountedtherein; means for operating said shaft; one or more disks carried onsaid shaft; pins in said disks; a key-board in said frame adjacent saiddisks; plungers mounted in said board adapted to be moved into contactwith said pins; means for holding said plungers in such contact; andmeans for operating upon said holding means to throw the same from saidplungers. 7. An automatic signal device consisting of a frame; a shaftjournaled in said frame; electrical means for operating said shaft; oneor more disks carried by said shaft; pins removably fixed in said disks;a removable key-board mounted in said frame adjacent said disks;plungers in said board adapted to be moved in contact with said pins; aplate pivoted in said board adapted to hold said plungers in saidcontact; a lever pivoted in said board provided with an arm adapted tostrike said plate and throw it from contact with said plungers; a springon each plunger adapted to throw it from contact with said pins; and,electrical means for tripping said lever, substantially as shown anddescribed.- 8. An automatic signal device consisting of a frame; a shaftj ournaled in said frame;

electrical means for actuating said shaft;

one or more disks carried by said shaft; pins removably secured to saiddisks; a removable key-board mounted in said frame adjacent said disks;plungers mounted in said .board adapted to be moved in contact with thepins on said disks but provided with a spring normally to hold them outof such contact; a plate pivotally mounted in said board adapted to holdsaid plungers in contact with said pins; a lever pivoted to said boardprovided with an arm adapted to strike said plate and throw it fromcontact with said plungers; a second lever pivoted on said frame adaptedto strike the first lever and trip it; a cam wheel pivoted to the frameadjacent said second lever arranged to revolve in but one direction andcarrying means for tripping said lever; and a cam carried by the shaftand adapted to engage said wheel and actuate it at intervals;substantially as shown'and described.

. 9. An automatic signal device consisting of a frame; a shaft journaledin saidframe; electrical means for actuating said shaft; a disk carriedby said shaft; pins on said disk; an electric coil adjacent said diskprovided with an armature which, when a current of electricity isapplied, will be thrown in contact with the pins on the disk,substantially as shown and describdj 10. An automatic signal-deviceconsisting of a frame; a shaft journaled in said frame;

electrical means for actuating said shaft; a

disk on said shaft carrying pins; an electric coil adjacent said disk;armature so arranged that when electrically actuated through said coilwill contact with said pins, substantially as shown and described;

11. In an automatic, signal device, a frame; a shaft mounted in saidframe; electrical means for operating said sliaft; one or more diskscarried by said shaft; removable pins onsaid shaft; a removable keyboardmounted in said frame adjacent said disks; plungers mounted in saidboard adapted to be moved in contact with said pins; means pivoted insaid board for holding said plungers in such contact; a spring carriedby each plunger for throwing them out of such contact when said plungersare released; and electricalmans for releasing said plungers,substantially as shown and described. I

12. An automatic signal device consisting of a frame; a shaft journaledtherein electrically actuated; one or more disks carried by saidshaft;pins in said disks so arranged that when contactedby electrical iheansintermittent signals will be given at any point in a building.

13. In an automatic signal device, a frame, a shaft journaled thereinelectrically actuated a cam carried by said shaft; a cam-wheel pivotedon said frame adjacent said cam and so as to receive from it anintermittent 0r alternating motion as the shaft revolves; pins carriedby said cam-wheel; a lever pivoted on said frame adjacent said cam-wheeladapted to be tripped by said pins as the cam-wheel revolves; and asecond lever mounted in the frame adapted to be tripped by said firstlever.

1a. In an automatic signal device, a frame in which is journaled a shaftelectrically actuated and carrying one or more disks; a keyboardremovably mounted in said frame in which is movably arranged one or moreplungers or keys; a spring con tact arranged in said board; a platepivoted in said board adapted to contact with said contact when operatedupon by said plungers, substantially as shown and described.

15. In an automatic signal device, a frame in which is journaled a shaftelectrically actuated and carrying one or more disks, and a key-boardremovably mounted in said frame adjacent said disks in which is movablyarranged one or more plungers or keys adapted to contact with saiddisks, substantially as shown and described.

v 16. An automatic signal device consisting of a frame, a shaftjournaled therein elece trically operated, disks on said shaft carryingpins, electric coils adjacent said disks provided with armatures soconstructed and arranged that said armatures will contact with said pinsas the disks revolve and means for operating said shaft.

17. An automatic signal device consisting of a frame, a shaft journaledtherein electriof a frame; a shaft journaled therein electricallyactuated; disks carried by said shaft; pins in said disks; a key-boardin said frame; plungers mounted in said board adapted to be pushedinto-contact with said pivoted in said board adapted plns; a platelingers in such contact; a cam to hold said p carried by said shaft;a'cam-wheel pivoted on said frame so as to receive from saidcam" anintermittent motion as the shaft revolves;

pins carried by said cam-wheel; a lever pivoted on said frame adapted tobe tripped by the pins on the cam wheel as the same revol'ves; a secondlever mounted in said frame adaptedto be tripped by said first lever andadapted to strike up the said holding plate whereby the plungers arereleased and permitted to spring' back out of contact With 25 the pinson the disks, silbstantially as shown and described. H 4 GLENN E. BLINN.Witnesses: GRovE P. MITCHELL, Jr., 'MARY F. LYONS.

